Posted on 09/26/2007 7:44:29 AM PDT by nuconvert
Violent crackdown launched in Myanmar
AP
Security forces shot and wounded three people, and beat and dragged away dozens of Buddhist monks Wednesday in the most violent crackdown against the protests that began last month, witnesses said. About 300 monks and activists were arrested, dissidents said.
Reports from exiled Myanmar journalists and activists in Thailand said security forces had shot and killed as many as five people in Myanmar's biggest city, Yangon. The reports could not be independently confirmed by The Associated Press.
The U.N. Security Council will meet later Wednesday to discuss Myanmar, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told French reporters.
Witnesses in Yangon known to the AP said they had seen two women and one young man with gunshot wounds in the chaotic confrontations.
Zin Linn, information minister for the Washington-based National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma, which is Myanmar's self-styled government-in-exile, said at least five monks were killed, while an organization of exiled political activists in Thailand, the National League for Democracy-Liberated Area said three monks had been confirmed dead, and about 17 wounded.
Exiled Myanmar media reported similar figures, citing witnesses.
A Norway-based dissident radio station, the Democratic Voice of Burma, said that one monk was killed and several injured in clashes in downtown Yangon.
The security forces fired warning shots and tear gas to try to disperse the crowds of demonstrators while hauling away defiant Buddhist monks into waiting trucks — the first mass arrests since protests in this military dictatorship erupted Aug. 19.
About 300 monks and activists were arrested across Yangon after braving government orders to stay home, according to an exile dissident group, and reporters saw a number of cinnamon-robed monks, who are highly revered in Myanmar, being dragged into military trucks.
The junta had banned all public gatherings of more than five people and imposed a nighttime curfew following eight days of anti-government marches led by monks across the country in the largest protests in nearly 20 years.
Prayers for the monks and for all who are fighting and dying for freedom.
videos here...
javascript:void(window.open(’http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/news;_ylt=AumJHELQhmeMll9CMNFWXqD9xg8F?ch=1105621&cl=4245364⟨=en‘,’playerWindow’,’width=793,height=608,scrollbars=no’));
still photos here.....
AFP is reporting 4 killed
I was so surprised during the president’s speech to the U.N. to learn that Americans are so concerned about Burma. I had thought Americans had no idea where Burma is, let alone care about it.
The Pres addressed the problem in Myanmar when he spoke at the UN. Must be significantly hugh.
I was so surprised during the president’s speech to the U.N. to learn that Americans are so concerned about Burma. I had thought Americans had no idea where Burma is, let alone care about it.
***
I think most of my generation would know — some of the younger ones, I’m not sure since Geography often isn’t taught in our schools anymore.
That said, someone had to tell me yesterday that Myanmar is the country formerly known as Burma. Heck, I didn’t know.
I found an old globe at my late parents’ home — when I was growing up, it was the “in” thing to give your children a globe. I had to laugh though — most the countries on it have been renamed, the boundaries redrawn or just don’t exist as they did at one time.
JRios - THAILAND???
FNL, I didn’t know it was Burma either! Tibet was taken by China in 1952, the year I was born.
These Buddhist monks have a hard time of it because they are a peaceful group and it is really against their faith to have to sound off like this. Tells us how bad things are.
Don't count on it.
Well I blame Bush and Haliburton...
(/sarcasm)
When the military took over and renamed the country, the U.S. refused to recognize the change. We officially still call it Burma.
If they’re under seige, you can’t fault them for trying to protect what’s theirs, although strictly speaking they eschew material goods.
What I’m referring to is the way in which Tibet was taken, with all the temples and religious artifacts being virtually destroyed. Real ones [tankas, etc.] are quite valuable now because they are rare.
Apparently, our media didn’t get the memo — they called the country by its “new” name all day yesterday.
You’re so silly, it is not in THAILAND...
It is just a few miles from THAILAND!!!!
Well, I realize that, but I thought you wouldn’t let me ping you unless the word was in there!
:o)
~snorrfle!~ Cute little smarmy emoticon...
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